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EP0303235B1 - Device for detecting placement of electrical connector terminal - Google Patents

Device for detecting placement of electrical connector terminal Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0303235B1
EP0303235B1 EP88112947A EP88112947A EP0303235B1 EP 0303235 B1 EP0303235 B1 EP 0303235B1 EP 88112947 A EP88112947 A EP 88112947A EP 88112947 A EP88112947 A EP 88112947A EP 0303235 B1 EP0303235 B1 EP 0303235B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
cavity
terminal
electrical
sensor probe
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP88112947A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0303235A2 (en
EP0303235A3 (en
Inventor
Kengo Ohno
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Original Assignee
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd filed Critical Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Publication of EP0303235A2 publication Critical patent/EP0303235A2/en
Publication of EP0303235A3 publication Critical patent/EP0303235A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0303235B1 publication Critical patent/EP0303235B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
    • G01R1/02—General constructional details
    • G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/20—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/64—Means for preventing incorrect coupling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66—Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/70—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch
    • H01R13/703—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling part

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for detecting the correct placement of an electrical terminal in a cavity of an electrical connector housing, according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1.
  • Conventional terminal-lock detectors which detect incomplete terminal engagement into a cavity of an electrical connector housing are widely known. Also described are cavity identifiers which respective cavity in a connector housing is either electrically detected or indicated by light beams for a specific terminal to be inserted.
  • US-A-4,214,801 shows a fuse holder with insertion ramp in which the fuse holder is inserted into the terminal block and has an opening therein for receiving a protrusion extending into the passage.
  • Fig. 4, of US-A-4,214,801 is directed toward the combination of an opening 28 and a ramp 210 in fuse holder 20 which is designed to receive a protrusion 13 from terminal blocs 10.
  • US-A-4,030,029 discloses lamps for illuminating the second connector cavity.
  • an indication is provided at the second place which corresponds to the first place at which sequencing is stopped.
  • a separate lamp is used to mark every second place.
  • the lamps at the second place may be arranged in a patter similar to the pin pattern of the conductor, if a number of conductor wires are to be connected to a single multiple pin connector unit (refer to Fig. 1 of US-A-4,030,029).
  • US-A-4,462,155 discloses a pin locator in which light emitting diodes (LEDs) are in an array that represents the physical arrangement of the element insertion locations in a cable connector. The illuminated LED in the array indicates the location the element in contact with the grounded element insertion tool should be inserted in the cable connector. (refer to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 of US-A-4,462,155).
  • LEDs light emitting diodes
  • US-A-4,658,212 discloses a connector terminal examination device with an examination head having a plurality of probes projected forwardly therefrom.
  • the probe has a front portion and a rear probe portion slidably received in a metallic tube and independently biased forwardly leaving a predetermined gap between the probe portion when they are freed.
  • the front probe portion is adapted to be moved into the metallic tube so as to make electrical contact with the rear probe portion which is electrically insulated from the metallic tube.
  • the rear probe is pressed by a corresponding terminal of the connector.
  • DE-A-2 148 782 which is the nearest prior art, shows a multi-pole connector system for avoiding poor electrical contact of loss of contact, respectively, when a male connector being inserted in a female connector (both being multi-poled) becomes loose during subsequent use.
  • some of the poles or terminals, respectively, at the male connector are shorter than the remaining ones, said shorter terminals are preferrably arranged at the periphery of the mult-pole connector, so that upon initial disconnection of male and female connector, the shorther terminals come out of engagement with the respective female terminals, before the remaining longer terminals come out of contact, and by means of disengagement of the shorter terminals, it is possible to start indication means or alarm means, respectively, indicating that the male connector is in the process of disengaging the female connector.
  • DE-A-2 148 782 is especially directed to connecting operations in assembling electrical wires into a wiring harness of motor vehicles.
  • GB-A-1 450 004 shows an electrical connector assembly being (with respect to the object) very similar to that of DE-A-2 148 782, i.e. means are provided for giving an alarm signal, when a male connector is not in proper contact with a female connector or is starting to get loose from said female connector, respectively.
  • the device of the present invention finds broad applications in making connection of a plurality of electrical lead wires to an electrical connector housing where many connection cavities are located in a plurality of rows and columns.
  • Wire connecting operation in assembling electrical wires into a wiring harness of motor vehicle provides a typical field of application of the detection device of the present invention.
  • the present invention provides an improved detection device for an electrical terminal in a connector housing in such a way that its identical placement in a correct and specific cavity of an electrical connector housing is confirmed, while complete insertion of the terminal and resulting stable lock within the cavity are both assured.
  • the detection device of the present invention is composed of a cylindrical case 1 of electro-conductive metallic material, a contact sensor probe 2 and an electrical contact member 3. To the cylindrical metallic case 1 there is attached a first electrical circuit 4 consisting of a an indication lamp 9a and an electric power source 10.
  • One end 5a of a second electrical circuit 5 is attached to the electrical contact member 3 at its projecting end portion 3a which is electrically isolated from case cylinder 1 by an insulating material 7, while the other circuit end 5b is connected to the electrical power source 10 through another indication lamp 9b which is in an electrically parallel way to the first electrical circuit 9a.
  • the contact sensor probe, 2 consists of: a cylindrical bar having two contact spindles 2a, 2b which share a common longitudinal axis, a flange 2c, a bearing 6 of thrust type and a coil spring 8 which is placed between the flange 2c and the bearing 6, when the electrical contact member 3 is placed in the case cylinder 1.
  • the contact spindles 2a, 2b are maintained in the case cylinder 1 through the bearing 6 and the flange 2c, both of which face with the inner wall of the case cylinder 1 and share their longitudinal axes with that of the case 1.
  • the second spindle 2b is projecting outside of the opening of the case cylinder 1 facing an electrical terminal 32 in a cavity 31 of a connector housing 30.
  • the terminal is subjected both to identification of its correct placement and to confirmational testing for its state of locking within a specific cavity 31 of the electrical connector housing 30.
  • electrical lead wires 23 having electrical terminals of both ends are placed on an assembling table or board on which a wiring chart is attached. According to the chart, there are attached to either of the top or rear surface of the table components of the subject wiring harness such as electrical connectors, switches, fuse-holders, and wire junction boxes.
  • one end portion of each of the electrical lead wires 23 has usually been connected to a receiving terminal of the first connector housing 20 at its specified cavity 21 of the housing, since a unitary set of wires are used in common for various kinds of wiring assemblies independent of differences between car models. In a practical wiring operation, therefore, its is required that a simple and accurate method of identification of the mating cavity in an electrical connector is used and that its confirmational testing is carried out in order to prove that a stable and correct terminal connection has been made.
  • Fig. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the detection device of the present invention wherein the second contact spindle 2b of the device is facing an electrical terminal 32 attached to a free end portion of an electrical lead wire 23 which is inserted into the mating cavity 31 of the second electrical connector housing 30 which in turn is placed on the top of the wiring assembly board.
  • the first contact spindle 2a of the contact sensor probe 2 is placed apart from the contact surface of the counter-facing cylindrical projecting end 3a with a distance a .
  • the electrical terminal 32 proceeds in a direction F
  • its head portion touches the right side end surface of the second contact spindle 2b and continues to move in the same direction as insertion proceeds until it comes to a stopper 34 at the end of the passway 33 of the terminal 32 in the cavity 31 of the connector housing 30.
  • the spindles 2a 2b of the contact sensor probe 2 are shifted in direction F while the coil spring 8 is compressed by the flange 2c as they are shifted until it touches the end surface of the contact point 3b of the contact member 3 with indication signals at lamp 9a.
  • the terminal 32 of a male structure has an opening 34 in its bottom portion and is mated with a projection 36 located on a flexible resilient arm structure 35 which holds the terminal 32 upwardly during the process of insertion through the passway 33 of the cavity 31.
  • the arm comes down to original (horizontal) direction and the terminal 32 still continues to be shifted in the same directon F until its left-side-bottom corner is hold by a recess of a stopper 37.
  • the terminal 32 is locked within the cavity 31 and thus its withdrawal to the direction F ′ is prohibited.
  • the terminal can proceed after mating of the projection 36 with the terminal opening 34 in a distance of c-b
  • c is an initial lock distance which means a gap between the opening 34 in the opposite side of the passway 33 and the front surface 32a of the electrical terminal 32 when the projection 36 is first mated with the opening 34 of the terminal 31
  • b is the final lock distance which means a clearance between the opening 33a of the passway 33 and the front surface 32a of the terminal 32 when the terminal 32 is held by the stopper 37.
  • the lengthwise distance d of the opening 34 of the electrical terminal 31 is generaly called "a mating distance" and is designed to be larger than b which is almost equal to the width of the stopper 37.
  • an indication of stable lock is achieved by illuminating the indication lamp 9b of the second detection circuit 5 when the front surface 32a of the terminal 32 is located within a range of c-b taken from the opening 33a of the passway 33 of the cavity 31 where sensor contact clearance a continues to be zero from initial to the final lock position.
  • This design principle can be widely used in electrical connecting operation for detecting stable lock of an electrical terminal in a passway of a connector cavity.
  • each cavity 31 of the electrical connector housing 30 there is attached a corresponding detection device of the present invention in a way that the longitudinal axes of the contact sensor probe 2 and the electrical contact member 3 are common and said common axis is shared with the longitudinal axis of the electrical terminal 32 to be inserted.
  • the front surface of the second contact spindle 2b is located inside of the passway 33 of the cavity 31 of the connector housing 30 with a distance X along the longitudinal axis of the passway 33.
  • the distance X is designed to satisfy the following equations:
  • the front end of the electric terminal touches the counterfacing surface of the second contact spindle 2b (refer to Fig. 2). Then the first electrical circuit 4 is closed through the contact sensor probe 2, coil spring 8, bearing 6, case cylinder 1, and the indication lamp 9a resulting in illumination of the lamp which is indicative of the correct placement of the electrical terminal.
  • the device of the present invention discloses ⁇ among others ⁇ the following essential features:

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Testing Of Short-Circuits, Discontinuities, Leakage, Or Incorrect Line Connections (AREA)
EP88112947A 1987-08-10 1988-08-09 Device for detecting placement of electrical connector terminal Expired - Lifetime EP0303235B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP123056/87U 1987-08-10
JP1987123056U JPH0620314Y2 (ja) 1987-08-10 1987-08-10 端子挿入検査器

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0303235A2 EP0303235A2 (en) 1989-02-15
EP0303235A3 EP0303235A3 (en) 1989-03-01
EP0303235B1 true EP0303235B1 (en) 1991-07-17

Family

ID=14851106

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88112947A Expired - Lifetime EP0303235B1 (en) 1987-08-10 1988-08-09 Device for detecting placement of electrical connector terminal

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US4849743A (ko)
EP (1) EP0303235B1 (ko)
JP (1) JPH0620314Y2 (ko)
KR (1) KR920002829Y1 (ko)
CN (1) CN2038677U (ko)
CA (1) CA1285024C (ko)
DE (1) DE3863716D1 (ko)
MY (1) MY107517A (ko)

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JPH077682B2 (ja) * 1988-01-28 1995-01-30 マツダ株式会社 電気接続装置
JPH0668977B2 (ja) * 1989-08-03 1994-08-31 矢崎総業株式会社 圧接端子および圧接端子のハウジングへの誤挿入検出装置
US5213846A (en) * 1989-09-27 1993-05-25 Dai Nippon Toryo Co., Ltd. Corrison resistant coating composition
JP3010237B2 (ja) * 1990-09-06 2000-02-21 住友電装株式会社 コネクタの結合確認装置
JPH04186443A (ja) * 1990-11-21 1992-07-03 Canon Inc 情報処理装置
JP2503960Y2 (ja) * 1990-12-12 1996-07-03 矢崎総業株式会社 識別装置
US5142269A (en) * 1991-04-01 1992-08-25 Charles T. Rush Electronic component theft sensor and security system
JP2797934B2 (ja) * 1993-11-04 1998-09-17 住友電装株式会社 コネクタ及びコネクタ検査装置
US5859534A (en) * 1993-11-18 1999-01-12 Sumitomo Wiring Systems Connector examination and correction devices and methods examining and correcting same
SE9402297D0 (sv) * 1994-06-29 1994-06-29 Siemens Elema Ab Indikeringsanordning
JP2998885B2 (ja) * 1994-07-11 2000-01-17 矢崎総業株式会社 コネクタのスペーサ検知構造
US5574668A (en) * 1995-02-22 1996-11-12 Beaty; Elwin M. Apparatus and method for measuring ball grid arrays
JP3211932B2 (ja) * 1995-08-02 2001-09-25 矢崎総業株式会社 コネクタの検査方法およびコネクタ検査具
JPH0943299A (ja) * 1995-08-02 1997-02-14 Yazaki Corp コネクタ検査具
JPH09138261A (ja) * 1995-11-14 1997-05-27 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The コネクタの雄端子検査治具
JP3355276B2 (ja) * 1996-05-20 2002-12-09 東洋電装株式会社 コネクタ装置
US5820406A (en) * 1996-07-29 1998-10-13 Hetherington; Michael Warnett Terminal and door latch for battery operated devices
US6915007B2 (en) 1998-01-16 2005-07-05 Elwin M. Beaty Method and apparatus for three dimensional inspection of electronic components
US6072898A (en) * 1998-01-16 2000-06-06 Beaty; Elwin M. Method and apparatus for three dimensional inspection of electronic components
US6915006B2 (en) * 1998-01-16 2005-07-05 Elwin M. Beaty Method and apparatus for three dimensional inspection of electronic components
DE60002636T2 (de) * 1999-07-28 2004-03-11 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Yokkaichi Sensor, Vorrichtung zum Anzeigen der Drahteinführung, Inspektionsverfahren und Inspektionsapparat für die Drahtmontage
US6793401B2 (en) * 2002-08-22 2004-09-21 The Boeing Company System and method for assembling a bundle of conductors into a connector
US7030636B1 (en) 2005-05-02 2006-04-18 Fargo Assembly Company Low pin testing system
US8099857B2 (en) 2008-02-09 2012-01-24 Cirris Systems Corporation Apparatus for electrical pin installation and retention confirmation
US8442664B1 (en) 2010-09-10 2013-05-14 Enovation Controls, Inc. Integrated wire harness batch production systems and methods
US9257808B1 (en) 2010-09-10 2016-02-09 Automated Wiring Systems, LLC Integrated wire harness batch production with double buffer assembly systems and methods
CN102147442B (zh) * 2011-01-14 2014-02-26 富泰华工业（深圳）有限公司 连接器检测治具
PL2654141T3 (pl) * 2012-04-20 2015-03-31 Schleuniger Holding Ag Sposób i urządzenie do wytwarzania wtyczki
CN103308256B (zh) * 2013-05-30 2016-04-27 天津长城精益汽车零部件有限公司 一种胶圈止水检测机
US9274166B2 (en) * 2013-08-26 2016-03-01 Fujitsu Limited Pin verification device and method
JP6109027B2 (ja) * 2013-09-24 2017-04-05 古河電気工業株式会社 挿入作業補助装置及び挿入作業補助方法
US10845548B2 (en) 2015-07-01 2020-11-24 Go!Foton Holdings, Inc. Connector engagement sensing mechanism
US10690862B2 (en) 2015-07-01 2020-06-23 Go!Foton Holdings, Inc. Connector engagement sensing mechanism
US20180072046A1 (en) * 2016-09-12 2018-03-15 M&R Printing Equipment, Inc. Alignment indicator for registration system
US11128086B2 (en) 2018-05-11 2021-09-21 The Boeing Company Apparatus for contact insertion and retention testing
CN118225598B (zh) * 2024-05-23 2024-08-20 南昌工程学院 一种多功能的电气连接插接件测试装置

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JPS60140160A (ja) * 1983-12-27 1985-07-25 Sumitomo Wiring Syst Ltd コネクタの端子検査器

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR890005349U (ko) 1989-04-18
JPH0620314Y2 (ja) 1994-05-25
CN2038677U (zh) 1989-05-31
JPS6427668U (ko) 1989-02-17
US4849743A (en) 1989-07-18
EP0303235A2 (en) 1989-02-15
EP0303235A3 (en) 1989-03-01
MY107517A (en) 1996-03-15
KR920002829Y1 (ko) 1992-05-01
DE3863716D1 (de) 1991-08-22
CA1285024C (en) 1991-06-18

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